Princess Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, is publicly addressing former brother-in-law King Charles III’s rare response to his book accusations.
“Well, it’s not every day you’re gaslit by a king, but I was really upset with that because I thought it was very, not only condescending, but not straight,” Spencer, 62, told ABC News’ Maggie Rulli in a Sunday, September 20, interview on Good Morning America. “What I said is straight and true, and what did they come back with? That.”
In a recent excerpt of his upcoming memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, Spencer claimed that Charles, now 77, allegedly sounded elated after Diana died in 1997 at the age of 36 following a devastating car crash in Paris. According to the earl, the now-king reportedly said “we’ll forget [Diana] soon enough” in the wake of the beloved princess’ untimely death, which left her two sons — Prince William and Prince Harry — without their mom.
William, now 45, and Harry, now 42, were just 15 and 12, respectively, at the time of their mother’s death and walked in her state funeral procession with their father and uncle.
“It wasn’t an easy decision, and it was a collective family decision to do that,” William recalled of the memorial in the 2017 BBC documentary Diana: Seven Days. “It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. We were overwhelmed by how many people turned out, it was just incredible. There was that balance between duty and family, and that’s what we had to do.”
Charles, who was married to Diana from 1981 to 1996, did not publicly address the accusations himself, but allowed Buckingham Palace to issue a statement on his behalf.
“While we do not comment on books as a matter of principle, His Majesty is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgement and color memory in ways others do not recognize even many years after such a loss,” a spokesperson for the palace told Us earlier this week.
Spencer, for his part, noted that the statement itself felt particularly eye-opening.
“It doesn’t say he didn’t say it either. That’s what I found interesting,” he quipped. “I was really shocked, actually.”
Spencer revealed in a separate interview that he does not have a relationship with any members of the British monarchy nor is he interested in cultivating any.
“I have so many interests, but I’m not being rude about them. I’m not interested in the royal family,” Spencer claimed during his Sunday appearance on CBS Sunday Morning. “I’m absolutely not bitter.”
As for his status with Charles, Spencer stressed that he has no bad blood with the king.
“He came into my life as a brother-in-law and that relationship ended,” he added at the time. “You know, he’s still my king. I respect the Crown and that’s it.”
Swan Song: Diana, My Sister will be released Tuesday, September 22.
